Exercise is increasingly recognized as an evidence-supported component of cancer care. It can improve physical function, fitness, strength and treatment-related symptoms, although evidence for cancer-control benefits varies by disease and clinical setting.
Exercise Is Part of Modern Cancer Care
Exercise is sometimes treated as a lifestyle recommendation separate from oncology.
The evidence increasingly supports a different view.
For many patients, appropriately prescribed exercise can be considered a component of supportive cancer care during active treatment and survivorship.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology has reviewed systematic reviews and randomized trials evaluating exercise, diet and weight management during cancer treatment.
What Can Exercise Improve?
Evidence supports benefits in several domains, including:
- Cardiorespiratory fitness
- Muscle strength
- Physical function
- Cancer-related fatigue
- Quality of life
- Anxiety and depressive symptoms in some populations
ASCO guidelines support regular aerobic and resistance exercise during active treatment with curative intent to mitigate treatment-related adverse effects.
What About Cancer Recurrence and Survival?
This requires more careful interpretation.
Evidence for improvements in fitness, strength and fatigue is considerably more established than evidence that exercise prevents recurrence across all cancers.
The evidence base has nevertheless continued to develop.
A major randomized phase III trial reported in 2025 evaluated a structured exercise intervention in patients with stage III or high-risk stage II colon cancer following surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. The intervention improved disease outcomes compared with a health-education control.
This is important evidence.
However, it should not automatically be generalized to every cancer type, stage or treatment setting.
Aerobic and Resistance Exercise
A comprehensive exercise program commonly includes both.
Aerobic exercise
Examples include:
- Walking
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Supervised cardiovascular exercise
Resistance exercise
Examples include:
- Resistance bands
- Body-weight exercises
- Weight machines
- Free weights
Resistance exercise is particularly relevant because cancer and its treatment can contribute to loss of muscle mass and physical function.
Exercise Must Be Individualized
There is no single exercise prescription for every patient.
Consider:
- Cancer type
- Treatment regimen
- Cardiovascular status
- Anemia
- Bone involvement
- Neuropathy
- Recent surgery
- Infection risk
- Treatment-related fatigue
- Baseline fitness
Patients with bone metastases, significant anemia, cardiopulmonary disease or treatment complications may require specialized assessment before exercising.
A Practical Framework
A useful framework is:
Assess → Individualize → Progress → Monitor
Assess
Evaluate:
- Baseline fitness
- Strength
- Balance
- Symptoms
- Treatment limitations
Individualize
Select:
- Exercise modality
- Frequency
- Duration
- Intensity
Progress
Gradually increase training volume or intensity as tolerated.
Monitor
Pay attention to:
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Dizziness
- Neuropathy
- Cardiopulmonary symptoms
- Treatment complications
Exercise Is Not a Replacement for Cancer Treatment
Exercise should be understood as an adjunctive intervention.
It should not be presented as a substitute for surgery, radiation, systemic therapy or other indicated anticancer treatment.
Its value is that it can address important consequences of cancer and treatment—including loss of physical function and fatigue—and may contribute to better overall health.
Bottom Line
Exercise is an evidence-supported component of comprehensive cancer care.
Its strongest established benefits include improvements in physical fitness, strength, function and treatment-related symptoms.
Evidence for cancer-control benefits is emerging and may differ substantially by cancer type and clinical setting.
Exercise should be prescribed like an intervention—not simply recommended as a slogan.
Category: Supportive Oncology
Tags: Exercise oncology, cancer rehabilitation, cancer fatigue, resistance training, aerobic exercise, supportive oncology, survivorship
Focus keyword: exercise during cancer treatment
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